Cons:

Six months ago, paradise hit the Xbox in the form of Far Cry Instincts, but it wasn't quite everything that we imagined it would be. In bringing one of the best PC games in recent memory to the console, Ubisoft had to make a number of changes that ultimately hurt the title. The game wasn't as wide-open as its predecessor, forcing the player down paths, and it featured some of the most uneven A.I. we'd seen in quite some time. Wouldn't the game have been much better, we wondered, if Ubisoft had waited to release it for the Xbox 360? Well, now we're getting our chance to find out with the release of Far Cry Instincts Predator, a title that not only updates the original Instincts, but also includes a spiritual sequel entitled Evolution.

As I mentioned above, you'll actually be getting two games in one when you purchase Predator, although you'll be playing as the same character in both. The first part introduces you to Jack Carver, an ex-soldier who's moved to a fictional chain of tropical islands in an effort to get away from it all. It's not long before his boat is blown-up, a band of ruthless mercenaries is on his tail, and he's getting injected with a serum that's slowly giving him animalistic powers. The second part of the game takes place a few months after the events of the first, and Jack's still got his feral powers. He's contracted by a femme fatale named Kade to help her with some of her shady dealings, and it all goes downhill from there. We'd tell you more, but Evolution's storyline isn't particularly coherent, unlike the first game.

For the most part, the gameplay in both parts of the game are remarkably similar to that seen in the Xbox version (to see what we had to say in October, you can read it here). The weapon mechanics are the same, and you can still set branch whips and drive vehicles. As was the case with the Xbox game, the feral powers are still the highlight, and fans will be happy to hear that Jack can use them from the beginning of the Evolution storyline. Evolution also introduces some cool new weapons, including a remotely-detonated pipe bomb (perfect for knocking down lookout towers) and a blowgun that lets you stealthily take out your foes. While these weren't essential additions, they're nice nonetheless.

Although Instincts basically sent players from one checkpoint objective to the next, Evolution switches things up a bit by offering the player multiple objectives at the same time. You'll be able to island hop from one location to another, though there were some moments in which we didn't know exactly where we were supposed to be going. This openness actually makes the game feel more like the original PC title, which let players take virtually any route they could imagine to their objective. Unfortunately, the game's A.I. is more like the first console game than the PC title. There are moments when it'll be unfairly tough, swarming your position and shooting with deadly accuracy, but there are plenty of times when they'll stand still while you pepper them with lead.